Description

An award-winning memoir and instant "New York Times" bestseller that goes far beyond its riveting medical mystery, "Brain on Fire" is the powerful account of one woman s struggle to recapture her identity.
When twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan woke up alone in a hospital room, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, she had no memory of how she d gotten there. Days earlier, she had been on the threshold of a new, adult life: at the beginning of her first serious relationship and a promising career at a major New York newspaper. Now she was labeled violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened?
In a swift and breathtaking narrative, Susannah tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family s inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that nearly didn t happen. A fascinating look at the disease that . . . could have cost this vibrant, vital young woman her life ("People"), "Brain on Fire" is an unforgettable exploration of memory and identity, faith and love, and a profoundly compelling tale of survival and perseverance that is destined to become a classic."show more

Review quote

"For the neurologist, I highly recommend this book on several grounds...First, it is a well-told story, worth reading for the suspense and the dramatic cadence of events...Second, it is a superb case study of a rare neurologic diagnosis; even experienced neurologists will find much to learn in it...Third, and most important, it gives the neurologist insight into how a patient and her family experienced a complex illness, including the terrifying symptoms, the difficult pace of medical diagnosis, and the slow recovery. This story clearly contains lessons for all of us."show more

Review Text

"Captivating...Cahalan's prose carries a sharp, unsparing tabloid punch in the tradition of Pete Hamill and Jimmy Breslin." New York Times Book Reviewshow more

Customer reviews

This is a true story. Susannah thinks she has bedbugs and she feels strangely detached from situations in her life, that's how it begins. The situation is rapidly getting worse. When she finally ends up in the hospital after several seizures having hardly anything of her old self left nobody knows what's happening to her. Until she finds a doctor who will do anything to find out. She has a rare condition and needs treatment for many months. The recovery being the hardest part of her illness.
Susannah Cahalan describes such a difficult time in her life with an admiringly openness and honesty. She isn't afraid to share her most vulnerable memories to show what she's been through and to make others aware of her condition. That is beautiful. She's a journalist who had to dig into her own life to get to the truth about her month in the hospital, because she had no memory of that time. Her family and close friends helped as well as they could. It all resulted in this amazing book. Her illness was terrible and she had to rediscover her whole personality. Yet, she did everything she could to beat the disease, she is remarkably strong and because of her many other people have been helped. Besides that she's a great writer. I wanted to know what happened to her and couldn't put this book away. It's a must read for everyone.show more